Students at the University of Bahr el Ghazal in Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal State have reported a shortage of food at the main campus after the contracted supplier stopped deliveries over nonpayment.
According to some of the students who spoke to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, the university ran out of food last week.
Philip Beny Maker, a student, said most of his colleagues had already left the university campus in search of food and that the situation was dire.
“The situation at the University of Bahr el Ghazal is bad and there is no food to feed students and many of them have left the campus,” he said.
Another student, Elario Uding, said the most affected students are those from far-flung areas and distant regions like Upper Nile and Equatoria.
“Up to now there is no food at the university and we have some students that have come from different states, especially from Upper Nile, Equatoria, Greater Bahr el Ghazal and their situation is very bad,” said Uding. “The girls are even more affected as they do not have any other alternative.”
Meanwhile, Juma Santino Deng, an undergraduate, said the shortage of food has affected lectures at the University.
“Food for the students ran out five days ago and studies have now been disrupted,” he said. “The Pawak Company which has been supplying food told the student leaders that they could no longer deliver food to us.”
On his part, Peter Kwac Mathaing said the current situation at the university is not favorable for learning since the students are not attending lectures due to hunger.
“The current situation of the students at the University of Bahr el Ghazal is not favorable for learning,” he said. “When it comes to time for classes, you may find the class is empty because the students have gone to look for food outside.”
When contacted, the university’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for administration and finance, Dr. Awa Abdalla Margan, confirmed the food shortage and said the university administration is in contact with the concerned ministries in Juba over the matter.
“The students have indeed have no food in the hostel and I know that the contracted agency here in Wau wrote to us that the food will get finished by 2 February and it is true that from that time there has been no food and the students have been going hungry,” Dr. Awa confirmed. “We tried to contact the contractors, Pawak Company, in Juba but they said they need to first be paid by the ministry of finance through the ministry of higher education.”
However, the director of Pawak Company in Wau, Tek Maluil, said that the resumption of food supply to the university depends on the national government paying them.
“It is true that our food stock ran out because the government has not paid us. We have been supplying food for some years and the ministry of finance has not been listening to us and the little money which was approved was not even enough to feed the students for one semester and that is where the shortage came from,” Maluil explained. “We tried to get loans from traders in the market but they were not responsive. So, we are requesting the finance ministry to do something so that we continue feeding the students.”
He urged the students to remain calm as the company is in touch with the government over the matter.